faux pas and fondue

The last couple of days have been low key -- wandering and wondering what we have missed that may have been important.  You can only appreciate so many churches.  It got to the point where we walked into a church, started to admire it, then suddenly realized we'd been there already.  I think it's time to move on to Rome and the church of all churches -- St. Peter's.



Most every spot taken in the parks



Sunday was another beautiful day with all of Paris out enjoying it.  It was hard to walk down the streets.  I felt like a bumper car.  We've noticed that people don't make room for each other.  It's like playing a game of chicken walking through the crowds.  An American who has lived here for years mentioned it so I know it's not just my perception.  He blames it on the lack of personal power people feel resulting from the extent of government control.  The loss of indivduality leading to asserting yourself in small ways -- deep.  Whatever it is, for the most part one feels invisible walking down the streets.  Nothing personal, everybody is in the same boat.  Not entirely though, there are still polite "pardons" here and there.  We started out trying to be so polite so as not to reinforce the stereotype of the rude American -- but unless it is a shop or restaurant owner, we don't see that in return and are slowly losing our enthusiasm to be overly polite.  In reality, I imagine the situation would be the same in New York City.  People were out in droves making the most of the unusally warm day.  

As we stopped here and there to walk into courtyards, we ended up in one where there was some kind of educational thing going on.  I'm not sure what it was, but when the woman tried to give me some materials that related to something going on in France my mind said "Je suis Americainne" but my mouth said "Vous etes Americainne".  After I walked away I realized what I said to her was "You are American" instead of "I am American."  So embarrassed, but I don't think there was any problem with her getting the point!
We had a nice Chinese lunch and rambled through  less touristy areas.  Not much energy -- I was feeling kind of down as it was my mother's birthday - first one not to be able to acknowledge with her.  Came home late afternoon thinking we would rest up for our night out to go see the Eiffle tower in lights.  After a nap and our store-bought leek quiche (yum) we got lazy and decided to stay in and watch a movie.  We brought a pile of movies and this was the second one I've watched.  It was my choice so I picked out 'Chocolat'.  Seemed appropriate!  The first was "The Count of Monte Cristo" -- do you see a theme here?
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Pompideau Center

 Our plan for yesterday was to finally visit the Pompideau museum which is a block away.  This art museum picks up where d'Orsay leaves off and covers 1905 to the present.  We looked forward to seeing some contemporary art. The building is different from anything else we'd seen.  We've learned that anything new in Paris at first causes huge controversy and complaints and then everybody grows to love it and have pride in it.  Truly a pattern.  We covered one floor of art dating from 1905-1960, enjoying the works of Picasso, Chagall, Matisse and learning a little about the different art movements.  After returning home to eat lunch, we headed back to visit the 4th floor of art from 1960 - present.  The 4th floor started with a special exhibit by female artists mainly from the 70's.  I'm talking about the angry-feminist 70's.  Lots of private parts and violence and in-your-face statements.  Calm down!!  Example - video of a nude woman on the beach using a hula hoop made of giant thorns causing cuts and scars on her belly.  That was actually one of the more subtle pieces.  I realize the purpose of shocking society out of the status quo -- but it doesn't work for me in this era. It's like it's too soon to look back at that.  Maybe in one hundred years -- says the expert art critic and art historian.  We were ready to move on to Pollock, Warhol, etc.  -- but wait!  That entire section was closed for renovation.  What?? Big disappointment.  So glad that is the only time we had a problem like that.

I have a new favorite artist from the first part of the 20th century -- Visaly Kandinsky.

We had a fashionable late dinner at a restaurant serving fondue.  I had onion soup (I guess it's redundant to call it French onion soup), then Ernie and I shared a 3 cheese fondue with bread and potato to dip; and a beef fondue with three sauces.  Everything was delicious.  It seems especially good when you eat sitting in the open air with street entertainers stopping to perform.   I had wine and Ernie decided to have an aperitif of Ouzo in preparation for Athens.  This picture says it all . . . . .

Once again we were too tired for out night visit to the Eiffle tower.  Tonight is our last night so the tower at night is is a do or die.  Probably a bad choice of words considering Paris is on high alert due to some kind of terrorist threat.  The tower was evacuated last week due to a bomb scare.  This morning I said at least we won't be going up in the tower -- then realized scraps of falling metal could hurt those on the ground just a bit.  Being impaled by the Eiffle tower is a unique way to go.

First thing on the agenda for the day: a new suitcase for Ernie.  Remember the broken handle?  He was planning to try to use the suitcase anyway but thankfully accepted that it would be very difficult to board trains, move up and down escalators, take metros and search for our apartment in Rome hauling a broken-down bag.  (and I'm not talking about myself)

Back to packing and hoping we're not over the weight limit which is lower flying to Rome than it was flying to France.  Why can't they be consistent??  Keep your fingers crossed that the airline doesn't go on strike as threatened, with the air traffic controllers joining in.  The French love their strikes and even give a beginning and ending date in advance.  See, they ARE polite!

Maryl